Sport | Rugby
Gulf women's team face tough test
Up against world's best teams at Emirates Airlines Dubai Rugby Sevens
- By Duane Fonseca, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:00 December 3, 2009
- Image Credit: Oliver Clarke, Gulf News
- Highly-charged action during a practice match between Team USA and the Arabian Gulf side.
Dubai: A tough test lies ahead of the Arabian Gulf women Sevens squad as they will have to weave their way through some of the best women's teams if they hope to take home the silverware from the three-day Emirates Airlines Dubai Rugby Sevens which starts today.
The 10-team women's tournament kicks off Friday, and the hosts get their campaign on the road against Kenya Lionesses. They then face Scotland's Rugby Ecosse and Georgia in their final two group matches.
Along with Rugby Ecosse and Wooden Spoon Women, the up and coming USA Eagles are also being considered among the favourites to take the women's title. Arabian Gulf women's coach Shane Thornton has urged his squad not to be intimidated by the quality of the opposition, but to concentrate solely on the job at hand. Thornton said his side will take it one game at a time.
Hard fought
"The women's tournament is going to be hard fought and very interesting because there are a few really good sides in the competition. Our team is prepared. We structured our training sessions in such a way as to counter the opposition and if we play to our team structure we should prove difficult to play against," Thornton said.
He said women's rugby is yet to grow in the region and like their football team, the squad is building itself one tournament at a time.
"It's not a huge sport here in terms of women's rugby, but they're trying to achieve something out of getting further and further so we're trying to develop that. There are a few girls around in the squad that can probably work well and do well here and throughout the season."
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